TfW have withdrawn Sail-Rail tickets via Holyhead

[Flying Snail]

TfW have announced they are not offering any sail-rail fares for routes via Holyhead for an undetermined period but possibly for the rest of the year or longer.

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tfw.wales

Important travel update​

Due to ferry timetable changes linked to repair works at Holyhead Port, we have temporarily suspended the sale of SailRail tickets for journeys to and from Holyhead.

It is likely that SailRail tickets will remain unavailable for purchase until at least December 2025, whilst we review and seek assurances from the ferry companies on the port reopening. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience.

Their (pathetic) excuse is that the ferry companies have brought in an altered timetable while additional work is being done to one of the linkspans so they are sharing the remaining one.

This altered timetable is the same as they ran for several months earlier this year following the damage done to the ferry berths last year, sail-rail tickets were offered during that period.

This is just more of the obvious disdain and disregard TfW and their predecessors have shown to those availing of Rail-Ferry links to Ireland, I can't imagine that withdrawing any other ticket types due to timetable changes resulting in considerably higher fares would be considered acceptable.


Edit:

Just to point out that both ferry companies are still selling tickets via their usual channels, online or ticket desk at port with Irish Ferries and phone or ticket desk with Stena Line, so this only affects those trying to purchase the fares originating in GB through the rail ticketing system, single/return purchases from Ireland are not affected.

 

[Bamford]

How dissapointing. Worth writing to MPs / MSs about?

 

[Krokodil]

This is just more of the obvious disdain and disregard TfW and their predecessors have shown to those availing of Rail-Ferry links to Ireland, I can't imagine that withdrawing any other ticket types due to timetable changes resulting in considerably higher fares would be considered acceptable.

Or maybe it's just an emergency response to prevent people buying tickets for ferries that don't exist, until the temporary timetable can be uploaded to booking engines.

 

[Flying Snail]

How dissapointing. Worth writing to MPs / MSs about?

Possibly, however I'll leave that to UK citizens who have one of those as a representative.

 

[signed]

until the temporary timetable can be uploaded to booking engines.

They can, they just haven't bothered even with the normal timetable (not that it would be very useful, seeing how many connections are broken with the temporary timetable)

 

[Flying Snail]

Or maybe it's just an emergency response to prevent people buying tickets for ferries that don't exist, until the temporary timetable can be uploaded to booking engines.

How long should that take, bearing in mind this is the same rail industry that has considered it acceptable to apply the "published timetable of the day" on passengers?

Stena Ports who manage Holyhead and the two operators announced this alteration and a timescale for the work well in advance, it is one timetable alteration valid until the work is completed.

 

[Krokodil]

How long should that take, bearing in mind this is the same rail industry that has considered it acceptable to apply the "published timetable of the day" on passengers?

Stena Ports who manage Holyhead and the two operators announced this alteration and a timescale for the work well in advance, it is one timetable alteration valid until the work is completed.

Well it certainly didn't get promulgated particularly early to staff or passengers. Of course the last temporary timetable followed a period with no ferries at all.

 

[Flying Snail]

Well it certainly didn't get promulgated particularly early to staff or passengers. Of course the last temporary timetable followed a period with no ferries at all.

Maybe so, but still how long should it take to alter the entries for 6 daily services each way into the booking engine? From their website annoncement it appears they aren't planning to do it at all.

 

[Krokodil]

Maybe so, but still how long should it take to alter the entries for 6 daily services each way into the booking engine? From their website annoncement it appears they aren't planning to do it at all.

I gather that ferry sailings are not as simple as making a "repeat daily" schedule would be, because each ship makes an odd number of trips per day each day's sailings have to be inputted manually into the reservation computer.

 

[Mike395]

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/removal_of_sailrail_fares < I got fed up at TfW's blanking of my query on social media as to the reasoning so have sent a FoI to see if we can get any more detail as to why they haven't bothered.

In the meantime - so long as enough time is left my understanding is Stena telesales can still issue these by post to a UK address. (You can just book on Irish Ferries directly as usual for journeys starting in Dublin)

 

[Flying Snail]

I gather that ferry sailings are not as simple as making a "repeat daily" schedule would be, because each ship makes an odd number of trips per day each day's sailings have to be inputted manually into the reservation computer.

That is not the case.

Irish Ferries only offer sail-rail on Ulysees which makes 2 return crossings at the same time every day Mon-Sun.

Their fast ferry has in the past had different times on different days of the week but as this has now stopped running until summer 2026 it is irrelevant.

Stena offer sail-rail on all 4 return sailings which are at fixed times every day except Sundays and Mondays when the early morning sailings from both ports (04.00 and 04.30 at present) do not operate.

Edit:

As I know people love proof, here is the schedule from Holyhead port for Sep 08 to Nov 02 showing the scheduled ferry arrivals and departures that should be used to generate sail-rail ticket itineraries.

https://www.holyheadportauthority.co.uk/_files/ugd/8a729f_fe01921d521d4926b3d70f2b4cdddb89.pdf

 

[TUC]

Or maybe it's just an emergency response to prevent people buying tickets for ferries that don't exist, until the temporary timetable can be uploaded to booking engines.

You mean the few hours it might take to upload a revised timetable, even allowing for the manual inputs highlighted above?

 

[berneyarms]

TfW have announced they are not offering any sail-rail fares for routes via Holyhead for an undetermined period but possibly for the rest of the year or longer.

SailRail | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

tfw.wales

Their (pathetic) excuse is that the ferry companies have brought in an altered timetable while additional work is being done to one of the linkspans so they are sharing the remaining one.

This altered timetable is the same as they ran for several months earlier this year following the damage done to the ferry berths last year, sail-rail tickets were offered during that period.

This is just more of the obvious disdain and disregard TfW and their predecessors have shown to those availing of Rail-Ferry links to Ireland, I can't imagine that withdrawing any other ticket types due to timetable changes resulting in considerably higher fares would be considered acceptable.


Edit:

Just to point out that both ferry companies are still selling tickets via their usual channels, online or ticket desk at port with Irish Ferries and phone or ticket desk with Stena Line, so this only affects those trying to purchase the fares originating in GB through the rail ticketing system, single/return purchases from Ireland are not affected.

The temporary ferry timetable is actually different from the last one.

 

[Trainbike46]

Or maybe it's just an emergency response to prevent people buying tickets for ferries that don't exist, until the temporary timetable can be uploaded to booking engines.

Updating the timetable should be easy and quick, it certainly shouldn't take months until December. Suspending ticket sales because the railway has created a situation where it can't or won't update a timetable in a digital system is utterly unacceptable.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Sep 2025 ==

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/removal_of_sailrail_fares < I got fed up at TfW's blanking of my query on social media as to the reasoning so have sent a FoI to see if we can get any more detail as to why they haven't bothered.

Good idea! please keep us updated.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Sep 2025 ==

I do think this situation just once again makes clear that SailRail is being set up to fail, as has been discussed on this forum in the past.

 

[bspahh]

That is a pain. I was planning to visit Dublin in a couple of weeks. At least I booked the hotel on a rate that I can cancel.

 

[Haywain]

That is a pain. I was planning to visit Dublin in a couple of weeks. At least I booked the hotel on a rate that I can cancel.

You can still get Sail-Rail tickets direct from Stena.

 

[Mainline421]

That is a pain. I was planning to visit Dublin in a couple of weeks. At least I booked the hotel on a rate that I can cancel.

You just need to call Stena to book for now https://bsky.app/profile/seatsixtyone.bsky.social/post/3lz2cwojuts2x Journeys starting in Ireland (including returns) can also be booked on https://www.irishferries.com It's only a TfW issue

 

[bspahh]

You just need to call Stena to book for now https://bsky.app/profile/seatsixtyone.bsky.social/post/3lz2cwojuts2x Journeys starting in Ireland (including returns) can also be booked on https://www.irishferries.com It's only a TfW issue

I just phoned Stena Line on 03443 350 027 and they said that they can't sell Rail Sail tickets at the moment, and that Irish Ferries couldn't either.

 

[Mainline421]

I just phoned Stena Line on 03443 350 027 and they said that they can't sell Rail Sail tickets at the moment, and that Irish Ferries couldn't either.

Irish Ferries can, but probably only for journeys starting in Ireland. It's possible Stena have switched now to using TOD for Sailrail bookings via Holyhead as that's what they do for Belfast, but Irish Ferries don't use the rail industry system. At the moment I can still book online and pick up the tickets at Dublin port.

 

[stadler]

Can anyone clarify if it is just online sales that TFW have suspended? I am wondering if you can still buy at ticket offices and from guards. The sail rail tickets come in both advance and standby versions and these have always been available from any ticket office around the country and even from guards. I have bought them at many places before. If you look on BR Fares it still shows in the data. So this makes me think that perhaps it is just online sales on the TFW website that are suspended?

 

[Wallsendmag]

Can anyone clarify if it is just online sales that TFW have suspended? I am wondering if you can still buy at ticket offices and from guards. The sail rail tickets come in both advance and standby versions and these have always been available from any ticket office around the country and even from guards. I have bought them at many places before. If you look on BR Fares it still shows in the data. So this makes me think that perhaps it is just online sales on the TFW website that are suspended?

No, Ticket Offices cannot sell them either. I had a call from one of our stations last week trying to get to the bottom of why they coluldn't sell one.

 

[Mike395]

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/removal_of_sailrail_fares < I got fed up at TfW's blanking of my query on social media as to the reasoning so have sent a FoI to see if we can get any more detail as to why they haven't bothered.

In the meantime - so long as enough time is left my understanding is Stena telesales can still issue these by post to a UK address. (You can just book on Irish Ferries directly as usual for journeys starting in Dublin)

I have received a response to this with an odd combination of a refusal letter and documentation confirming my thoughts that it's not worth the amount of SailRail revenue for TfW to be bothered keeping an eye on the timetalbe for updates. I don't buy that it takes 'weeks' to update that data including Network Rail's involvement though....

 

[Trainbike46]

I have received a response to this with an odd combination of a refusal letter and documentation confirming my thoughts that it's not worth the amount of SailRail revenue for TfW to be bothered keeping an eye on the timetalbe for updates. I don't buy that it takes 'weeks' to update that data including Network Rail's involvement though....

The whole thing is odd, and it kind of seems like they tried to find a reason to reject.

The period asked for is clearly much more limited than the two years they assumed (unless they want to suggest they've been looking for an excuse to cancel SailRail for at last two years), limiting the search to the month before the announcement would likely be sufficient to meet the purpose of the FOI request.

Their Q&A seems to suggest passenger who experienced a delay (due to changed ferry timetables) should contact their retailer for some reason, which I'm pretty sure is wrong. Both documents together also seem to suggest they want anyone who had already bought a ticket to get a refund (instead of travelling on their ticket).

I don't know how timetable changes are put in the system, but given how frequently it happens it can't be enormously costly or difficult. It reads like the issue is that there have been people who ended up needing to be put in a hotel as they weren't informed of the timetable change, and TfW viewed that as such an issue that they'd rather tell people travelling to Ireland to get ****ed than to change the timetable.

It also maybe that there is a need to improve communication between the ferry companies and the railway, though I couldn't say who would be to blame for that.

No, Ticket Offices cannot sell them either. I had a call from one of our stations last week trying to get to the bottom of why they coluldn't sell one.

What would happen if someone boarded a train at a "buy on board" station/service, and asked the guard for a ticket to Dublin?

 

[CyrusWuff]

What would happen if someone boarded a train at a "buy on board" station/service, and asked the guard for a ticket to Dublin?

Given reservations for the ferry leg are mandatory, SailRail tickets can't be sold on an on-train Ticket Issuing System as they don't have access to the reservation system.

 

[Mainline421]

Given reservations for the ferry leg are mandatory, SailRail tickets can't be sold on an on-train Ticket Issuing System as they don't have access to the reservation system.

Standby tickets can be issued separately to the reservations.

 

[WirralLine]

To summarise the retail brief we got about it at TfW was something along the lines of the ferry dock/port at Holyhead (? - not clued up on maritime and cant remember exact wording!) needs urgent repairs, there is a reduced ferry schedule, sailrail sales temporarily suspended. Presumably due to demand/capacity or whatever im not sure. Ive seen quite a few of the hand-written ferry issued sailrail tickets this week though.

 

[Flying Snail]

To summarise the retail brief we got about it at TfW was something along the lines of the ferry dock/port at Holyhead (? - not clued up on maritime and cant remember exact wording!) needs urgent repairs, there is a reduced ferry schedule, sailrail sales temporarily suspended. Presumably due to demand/capacity or whatever im not sure. Ive seen quite a few of the hand-written ferry issued sailrail tickets this week though.

They are being rather less than correct if that is what you have been told.

There is no capacity or sailing reduction and ironically because the sailings are spread out instead of the usual schedule where both operators shadow each other there are more options with the altered timetable.

 

[WirralLine]

They are being rather less than correct if that is what you have been told.

There is no capacity or sailing reduction and ironically because the sailings are spread out instead of the usual schedule where both operators shadow each other there are more options with the altered timetable.

Ive dug it out and re-read it, basically says ferry schedules may change at short notice, and may no longer connect with rail services

 

[ElaineBaker]

I coordinate http://ByLandAndSea.ie a website guide to travel to and from Ireland without flying. Several people have contacted me about this problem with Sail Rail. As well as the inability to book Sail Rail via thetrainline.com, one person has also reported getting errors in the final stage of the sail rail booking on the Irish Ferries website, and one person has reported that different people at both Stena and Irish Ferries are telling them different things - there are no explanations on Irish Ferries or Stena websites about this, and a lot of confusion, even ferry company staff don't seem to have answers. We are writing to some Irish media and Irish politicians about this. Appreciate people in Britain kicking up a fuss about this too. As well as people in Ireland traveling to Britain itself, Britain is a key land bridge to Europe from Ireland for those of us who don't fly for environmental reasons, and now this ail Rail suspension has made it more expensive, and also caused much confusion as to whether it is completely suspended or only some booking options are suspended but not others.

 

[Mainline421]

I coordinate http://ByLandAndSea.ie a website guide to travel to and from Ireland without flying. Several people have contacted me about this problem with Sail Rail. As well as the inability to book Sail Rail via thetrainline.com, one person has also reported getting errors in the final stage of the sail rail booking on the Irish Ferries website, and one person has reported that different people at both Stena and Irish Ferries are telling them different things - there are no explanations on Irish Ferries or Stena websites about this, and a lot of confusion, even ferry company staff don't seem to have answers. We are writing to some Irish media and Irish politicians about this. Appreciate people in Britain kicking up a fuss about this too. As well as people in Ireland traveling to Britain itself, Britain is a key land bridge to Europe from Ireland for those of us who don't fly for environmental reasons, and now this ail Rail suspension has made it more expensive, and also caused much confusion as to whether it is completely suspended or only some booking options are suspended but not others.

Good to see as a regular user for the past few years. It would be best to stop recommending Trainline as they are a clone of the Transport for Wales website but with added booking fees so always more expensive for the exact same tickets (using the same backend) SailRail tickets are available at any UK station ticket office when on sale.

Would be interesting if anyone has successfully purchased from Stena in the UK as Seat61 is recommending, I can't see why Irish Ferries would be having any problems